Dozens of parents, students and community representatives told the Fairfax County School Board on Jan. 13 that the superintendent’s proposed boundary changes would fracture small communities, disrupt Advanced Academic Program (AAP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) continuums, and — in a separate set of CIP comments — delay critical construction projects such as Centerville High School.

Students from Justice High School and Glasgow Middle School described how rezoning to Falls Church High School or other non-IB schools would interrupt multi‑year IB coursework and extra‑curricular programs. Odessa Jansen, a rising senior and IB diploma candidate, said the proposed rezoning could “take away my opportunities to grow and learn as a mentor” and pleaded, "Listen to your students, not your statistics." Willow Rosenthal and other students echoed those concerns, calling the timing and sudden nature of changes disruptive to college plans and social supports.

Families from Beech Tree and the Justice pyramid urged the board to pause or withdraw late additions that would split small schools. Beech Tree parents said the recommendation appeared late in the process and would create an attendance island; several speakers asked that Beech Tree remain intact so students can continue in a single pyramid.

Crossfield parents and representatives repeatedly asked the board to keep SPA 3521 assigned to Crossfield Elementary rather than reassigning about 12 students to Lees Corner, arguing the proposed change separates the community across the Fairfax County Parkway, offers no capacity benefit and harms neighborhood cohesion. "The cross Crossfield committee's request is simple: keep SPA 3521 at Crossfield," one representative said.

Barbara McBrayer, speaking for the Cardinal Forest condominium association, cited dismissal-time traffic and pedestrian-safety risks if rezoning increases student counts at Cardinal Forest Elementary.

On capital-project concerns, Kimberly Adams representing Centerville High staff and families said Centerville has been on the CIP since before 2019 and included in the 2021 bond for planning and design, yet construction is not scheduled until 2028. Adams described mold, an aging HVAC system and failing bathrooms and urged the board to treat the project with greater urgency.

Many speakers invoked FCPS Policy 81-30 (attendance boundaries and neighborhood integrity), with several parents asserting the Jan. 7/Jan. 10 last-minute changes contradicted the district’s guiding principles on proximity and neighborhood preservation. Some speakers also referenced Virginia code when alleging procedural defects in how last-minute zones were added.

Board response and next steps: Superintendent Reid said she heard the public comments, will post amended boundary recommendations Thursday, will analyze program impacts (including Poe AAP and Glasgow enrollment), and will return some neighborhoods for further review in January 2027. The board is scheduled to vote on boundary adjustments on Jan. 22 and on the FY27–31 CIP on Feb. 12.